Rolly Cañete

freelance

January 20, 2006, in Pagadian City, Philippines

Unidentified gunmen killed radio broadcaster and political publicist Cañete on a busy street in the southern city of Pagadian. International news reports said the attackers fled on a motorcycle.

Cañete was a block-time broadcaster on three radio stations. Two of the stations, DXPA and DXBZ, were controlled by Congressman Antonio Cerilles and his wife, provincial governor Aurora Cerilles, the reports said. Both politicians employed Cañete as their publicist and paid for his radio programs.

Cañete frequently criticized opponents of Cerilles on his daily radio programs, and police believe that his work for the politicians may have been a motive in his killing. Philippine National Police Chief Arturo C. Lomibao told reporters that charges were filed against two suspects.

Cañete leased airtime under a practice known as block-timing, in which commentators also solicit their own advertisers. A number of block-time broadcasters have been killed in recent years.

Motive Unconfirmed: CPJ is investigating to determine whether the death was work-related.